1939 - Convention Report

              T W E N T Y - F I R S T PROVINCIAL CONVENTION 9
Handicraft Guild and of the Women's Institute of Edmonton, for the
co- operation and valuable assistance in the Handicraft Display. This report
is given in full on page 63.
Following this report, Mrs. J . Brian Ashworth, Hull, Quebec, Federated
Convener, gave a most vivid description of the Handicraft Display at the
Associated Country Women of the World Conference. She stated that the
Handicrafts of England were of three types. That of the women of leisure
consisted of beautiful petit point, fine embroideries and dainty things.
The work of the cottagers was a little more practical, showing baby carriage
robes and coats and gloves made from the lambs that die, while the Thrift
Exhibit from the English Counties showed a child's bed made from an
orange case. The mattress was washed and teased wool gathered from
the hedges. The sheets were salt bags, the blankets were sample squares
buttonholed together and the pillows were sugar bags filled with down
from the duck breasts.
The Italian exhibit showed Italy's famous laces and rabbit skins dyed
and processed by country women. They breed and feed the rabbits to
get perfect skins and have the dyeing done by small rural industries.
Beautiful gloves were made from the skins.
The German women had a wonderful Thrift Exhibit showing mats
made from wheat straw and the delegates were clothed in materials from
their farms. Denmark, Norway and Sweden stressed hand- loom weaving
while the Irish Free State had a wool and weaving exhibit! showing fisher­men's
jersey coats made from home- dyed wool made with the natural
grease left in the wool and coarsely knitted. The Scotch crofter's homespun
in soft colorings and beautiful weaves, hand knitted sweaters and fine
embroidery made a beautiful exhibit. The United States displayed hooked
rugs, quilts and gloves and Canada showed an old woven bedspread, a
hooked rug, hand- woven lace, Indian baskets and carvings and some
willow- root carvings from Alberta. The bravery and domestic life of the
people from the Baltic States was shown in their handicraft and Mrs.
Brian Ashworth urged that we preserve, in this country, their culture for
these unfortunate people by encouraging their work in this country. The
speaker concluded by stressing the fact that handicraft is an integral
part of farm women's life and not an arts and craft, and that fancy work
is not a bureau scarf with some colored embroidery on it, but something
that you want to pass on to your family.
A motion was made by Mrs. Martin seconded by Mrs. Ridley and
carried that a loud speaker be procured for the remainder of the
Convention. ,
T U E S D A Y E V E N I NG
Mrs, Wm. Stewart, A. W. I. President, introduced each of the thirty
Federated Delegates to the A. W. I. Convention, as they came to the
platform and took a bow.
Following a friendly time together, the delegates gathered in groups
to attend the handicraft display, the demonstration on needlepoint conducted
by Miss C. M . McClelland, and the demonstration in various forms of
weaving with Miss Hart, Miss Malloch, Miss Ferbey and Miss Kinnear at
the looms.
W E D N E S D A Y MORNING
The Wednesday morning session opened with community singing. Mrs.
Wm. Stewart presided, assisted by Mrs. E . E. Morton, Director of
District No. 2.